While the design, quality and reliability built into the C-17 helped
the airlifter reach its millionth flight hour so quickly, Boeing's efforts
in the field sustaining the U.S. Air Force fleet also were critical to
the C-17's success.

"Out in the field, we have Boeing people who have direct contact
with the customer and the C-17 every day. This millionth flight hour
is a testament to them and everyone who is involved with sustaining this
aircraft," said Gus Urzua, vice president of Air Force Integrated
Logistics and C-17 GSP program manager. "At many of the locations
our Boeing team works in the same building as the maintenance squadrons.
Our people are an integral part of the daily operations of air bases
around the world."

One of those bases is Ramstein Air Base in Germany, departure point
for the million-hour mission. Often that base sees 30 or more C-17 arrivals
and departures a day. Any C-17 that flies in Europe or the Middle East
is directly supported by Boeing teammates in Germany.

Ramstein field service engineers Fred Bahmani and Tim Miller—along
with Dave Grzesiak at nearby Spandalem Air Force Base in Germany, which
handles the overflow from Ramstein—provide services ranging from
engineering and technical support to informal training to maintainers.
Their work has taken them to Iraq, Afghanistan, Spain and Italy, bringing
the expertise of Boeing into the field to directly support the fleet.

"No two days are the same, with solving a wide variety of technical
problems and working a large variety of aircraft issues," Miller
said. "We get to see the results of Boeing and the Air Force working
together to make the C-17 the best airlift platform in the world."

Boeing provides more than spares and repairs on the C-17 through the
GSP program. Around the globe, Boeing employees oversee the supply chain
and provide technical and engineering support in the field to Air Force
maintainers. Boeing teammates work to keep C-17s available for warfighters
and humanitarian relief missions.

"We're integrated with the customer to provide the best support
solutions possible. We anticipate what is critical for them and provide
a solution, even sometimes before they need it," said Bill Hammond,
director of support-systems integration on the GSP program.

Like Bahmani, Miller and Grzesiak, Boeing field representatives located
at all of the C-17 operating locations are on call 24 hours a day and
will deploy with Air Force crews in the field if a C-17 needs on-site
repairs.

In fiscal year 2005, the C-17 saw a sustained mission capability rate
that exceeded 80 percent. The worldwide launch departure reliability
for 2005 was an outstanding 95 percent. Over the last five years, C-17
aircraft availability was 8 to 10 percentage points above the airlift
fleet average.

With U.S. military forces fighting the global war on terror for more
than three years, the GSP program's global support network has ensured
the airlifter is ready and available to do its job.

"We are proud to say we help keep the best airlifter in the world
flying and fulfilling its mission around the world," Urzua said. "We
plan to continue working alongside the customer as long as C-17s are
flying."